Ferry Cross the Mersey

Gerry and the Pacemakers, 1965:

Jeremiah 15:18

Jeremiah asks God: "Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?"

The Lord tells Jeremiah that if he repents and turns to Him, he shall be in God's presence and become God's mouthpiece. God will save him and deliver him and make him strong among the people.

God never specifically says to Jeremiah that He will heal his wound; rather, He asks Jeremiah to allow his sense of woundedness to become an occasion for humility, grace, and conversion.

I believe God can and does heal all wounds in His time - but sometimes He allows us to continue to experience certain forms of suffering so that we can become channels of grace for others and for ourselves...

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Good Reading

The Pope vs. the Pill by John L. Allen Jr., Op-Ed Contributor, New York Times
The Anniversary of Humanae Vitae by Joseph Bottum, Editor, First Things
The Vindication of Humanae Vitae by Mary Eberstadt, First Things

Paul VI, Pope & Prophet

Historia de un Letrero (The Story of a Sign)

The winner of the National Film Board of Canada's 4th Annual Cannes 2008 Online Competition is Alonso Alvarez Barreda for his following short film produced in Mexico/U.S.A. (h/t American Papist):

Choruses from "the Rock"

Excerpt from Part IX:

The soul of Man must quicken to creation.
Out of the formless stone, when the artist united himself with stone,
Spring always new forms of life, from the soul of man that is joined to the soul of stone;
Out of the meaningless practical shapes of all that is living or lifeless
Joined with the artist’s eye, new life, new form, new colour.
Out of the sea of sound the life of music,
Out of the slimy mud of words, out of the sleet and hail of verbal imprecisions,
Approximate thoughts and feelings, words that have taken the place of thoughts and feelings,
There spring the perfect order of speech, and the beauty of incantation.

T.S. Eliot

"Apple on Plate"

- a.k.a. "No More Exam!"

Today, after my exam, my favourite Professor (also one of my favourite people) guided me through a watercolouring lesson, and the painting on the right was the result.

Full disclosure: My Prof did some of the shading on the plate and stem, and some of the shine and shading on the apple.

What a difference it makes to be guided by someone who knows how to do this!

Hallelujah - It is Finished!

Thank you, God - My comps are over!!

Now I just hope I passed...

Father, forgive him...

Please pray for Professor Myers of the University of Minnesota Morris who deliberately desecrated the Eucharist (he says it's "just a cracker") as well as some pages from the Koran in his effort to prove that "Nothing is sacred".

This may have been done on the Professor's own time, and he publicized it on his personal blog which the University no longer links to (presumably because of the complaints they've received).

Still, I wonder how faithful Catholic and Muslim students will feel in the classroom of a Professor who has made it known publicly that he has no compunction about destroying what they consider to be sacred in order to emphasize his own view that "Nothing is sacred".

You can voice your concerns by writing to the University President, Robert H. Bruininks: upres@umn.edu
Most importantly, please pray for Professor Myers!

Randy Pausch, RIP

Just returned from the library, turned on my computer and read the sad news about Randy's passing. May his soul rest in God's mercy and peace, and may his family be consoled...

Watch Randy's "Last Lecture" on achieving your childhood dreams.

One Week to Go!

As I enter my last week of studying and since today's Sunday, I thought this tune by Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers might be appropriate - The Last Mile of the Way (complete lyrics below video):



If I walk in the pathway of duty,
If I work till the close of the day,
I shall see the great King in His beauty,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

Refrain:
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,
I will rest at the close of the day;
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

If for Christ I proclaim the glad story,
If I seek for His sheep gone astray,
I am sure He will show me His glory,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

Here the dearest of ties we must sever,
Tears of sorrow are seen every day;
But no sickness, no sighing forever,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

And if here I have earnestly striven,
And have tried all His will to obey,
’Twill enhance all the rapture of heaven,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.